Sanity aside
by Touch of Madness
Summary: A normal life had always been her hearts greatest desire, yet it always seemed just out of her reach as sanity seemed a constantly weakening thread. How will she survive when chaos comes knocking? Set between TF1 and TF2. Pairings later. Some OC's.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**: This is my first ever published fic. So go easy...constructive criticism is very much welcomed, but if you are going to flame, don't bother. I must warn you, this fic will be quite dark, I prefer it that way, I don't really write happy, fun loving fics all that well. I'm all for humour and romance, but that is about it lol. So if you're looking for something to brighten your day, then this is not the fic for you.

**Summary: **A normal life had always been her hearts greatest desire, yet it always seemed just out of her reach as sanity seemed a constantly weakening thread. How will she survive when chaos comes knocking? _Set between TF1 and ROTF_**.**

I just want to say a big thank you to: **Consciously Comatose**, and **I am not Rahna. Honest.** - They helped me out big time. So thank you very much! And last but not least, I want to say a **HUGE** thank you to **Faecat**. Because without her, this fic would not exist. She is a fantastic woman and helped me out so much. I was a stuck in the mud with no idea what to do and she was kind enough to help me out with a lot of things, so this is dedicated to you! Thank you, Faecat.

I highly recommend that you go and read Faecat's Transformers fic "Science and Fiction" IT'S **GOLD**.

**_(A/N2: This chapter has been slightly edited, so if you have read it in the past there is no need to re-read it. Alright? ^^)_**

* * *

**_Sanity Aside._**

**Chapter 1.**

Felix was beyond tired. Sleep seemed to be eluding her these past few nights. It was agonizing. Her body begged for rest, her eyes were sore and dry. Her reaction time was slow, and everything appeared as if it was moving in slow motion at times, but, no matter what she did, no matter what medication she took...the dreams, the voices...they wouldn't stop. Every time she closed her eyes, easing into the darkness that was sleep, images flashed before her eyes. Places she had never been, people she had never met before and the voices. At first they whispered, gradually becoming louder and louder before she could no longer listen to them.

She couldn't understand a word they said. It sounded like several people talking at once, each saying a different thing, down a long, winding tunnel, echoing all around her.

The nightmares she had gradually got worse. The intense feeling of grief, anger...sadness. Surrounded by nothing but war and death. Everything seemed so...real. She could feel it. Her heart was heavy with loss and her mind frantic, alert, as if watching, waiting for something to jump out of the shadows and attack her.

Blowing wispy strands of hair away from her face, she rolled onto her side and curled up into the comfort of the bed, silently wishing she could fall asleep; all she wanted was to rest. She didn't care for how long--an hour, 5 minutes... anything. She just wanted a peaceful, dreamless sleep where she wouldn't wake up in a panic screaming at the top of her lungs.

She was thankful that her neighbors paid no heed to the blood-curdling screams at the early hours of the morning; they were used to it by now. Did she even have neighbors any more? Felix didn't know. Her apartment was one amongst several, though some people didn't feel comfortable living above a computer shop that was open at peculiar hours. She shook the thought away, what did she care if the store owner dabbled in shady business? He allowed her to stay in the apartment above his shop for free and offered her a part-time job. Why should she care what crooked dealings he had a hand in?

Felix noticed a small bundle curled up contently beside her. The soft, white fur gently moved in the passing breeze that danced in through the open window. She gave a small twitch of a smile as she reached over and brushed her fingers through the velvet coat of the fluffy Turkish Angora. He had pristine blue eyes and the most gorgeous snow colored hide she had ever seen. He wasn't her pet, though; he was a stray. She made a habit of leaving her window open during the night, allowing the homeless cat refuge in her home. She often left him a small tray of food and water in the kitchen. She had even bought him a small, purple flea collar.

Felix never wanted nor needed the companionship of another human being, she often turned to animals or the Internet to ease her social needs. People frightened Felix, and she hated them. They were greedy, selfish and evil creatures. She had great difficulty trusting any one of them.

Animals were a different story. She could trust animals, that was why she trusted her unofficial pet cat, Kirby.

The silent veil of night slowly faded away as the sun crept above the horizon, stretching its rays across the rooftops and surfaces of the earth, bathing it in light and warmth.

A loud, irritating beeping noise startled Kirby. He sprung to his feet, eyes darting in every direction searching for danger.

"It's okay, boy, it's just the alarm clock," she soothed, reaching over towards her nightstand to find the space empty. She frowned.

Clothes flew across the room in a whirlwind as Felix tossed them up into the air searching her mess of a room for that annoying beeping clock that was driving her even further into insanity. Kirby scampered off of the bed in panic when a pair of denim jeans flew through the air, almost hitting the poor feline. He poked his head around the safety of the bedroom door, watching the crazed woman toss and throw objects around the room carelessly in her fruitless attempt to find the clock.

"I give up!" She huffed irritably, pulling her tangled hair out of her face. She looked around the room and grimaced at its condition. To say it was messy would be putting things lightly. It looked as if a fight had broken out between two rabid animals. Clothes, paper, books, and trash laid all over the floor and bed.

"...I'll clean that up later," she mumbled quietly under her breath, stepping precariously over the mounds of clothes.

Kirby gave a soft meow, trotting elegantly after the disheveled woman as she walked barefoot down the dark hall towards the kitchen. He hopped up onto the green tiled counter effortlessly and watched her with eager, hungry eyes, his long fluffy tail swishing back and forth gracefully. His blue eyes seemed to brighten when Felix pulled herself up onto the counter, her short height prohibiting her from reaching the top cupboard shelf. A small, brightly colored box in her grasp she hopped back down, the contents rattling loudly with her movement.

Kirby jumped excitedly at the sight of the box. He knew what it was, and desperate wanted to sink his teeth into the cat kibble.

"Alright, calm yourself," Felix smiled as she poured the fish shaped biscuits into a ceramic bowl.

When Felix began to fix her own breakfast, the loud, irritating noise of the apartment buzzer interrupted her. Felix grumbled a string of profanities under her breath, stomping her way towards the door, pressing the small button with unneeded force.

"What?" she barked rudely into the speaker.

"Good morning to you too, sweetheart," the amused voice of her landlord and boss replied. "You just up?"

"I didn't sleep much last night," Felix grumbled tiredly, rubbing her sore eyes.

"Yeah, so I heard. Maybe you should go see a doctor--"

"Is there a reason you're here, Frankie, or are you just going to give me a lecture?" Felix groused angrily, glaring heatedly at the speaker phone attached to the wall.

He sighed into the receiver. "Alright, calm yer'self. I need you to cover the shop for a few hours, I'm heading down town."

Great, that was all she needed. Tired, hungry, agitated and now he was asking her to work in his store. She hated it. It was dirty, it was hot, and it smelt like a farm house. Not to mention she couldn't stand the customers. "Can't you get your lazy nephew to do it?" she whined softly, silently hoping he would.

"He's out of town! Look, just do this for me, alright? I'll bring you back something nice, okay?" He said exasperatedly.

"Fine!" she yelled back just as loudly into the receiver and cutting Frankie off.

Felix turned back towards the counter to see Kirby, giving her a strange, almost amused look. "Looks like we're working today, Kirbs."

Her feline companion gave a soft meow in response. "I know, I know. I don't want to either. But, the guy lets us stay here for free...." she said, glancing around her small apartment. "Even if it is a dump."

* * *

After grabbing an unhealthy breakfast that consisted of nothing but sugar, Felix threw on a pair of frayed denim jeans and a simple black tank top. She didn't feel the need to brush her hair, only bothering to pull it up into a messy ponytail. With a nod of approval at her reflection she crawled over the bundle of sheets on her bed and grabbed her rectangular red glasses from the bedside cabinet.

"Kirbs!" she called out for her companion. He was no where to be seen and had kept it that way since breakfast. She sighed. It looked like she was going to be working in the shop by herself. Joy oh joy. At least if she had Kirby with her, she wouldn't feel so...lonely. Felix shook the thought away--she didn't need that cat any more than he needed her!

Her bare feet brushed against the blackened metal of the fire escape, sending a shiver crawling up her spine. Her eyes gazed out at the run down, abandoned buildings that lined the streets. It seemed hardly anyone lived here, she barely ever saw anyone during the day. Felix turned back towards the window and reached through, grabbing a pair of dirty sneakers and quickly slipping them on to her feet.

She cautiously made her way towards the fire escape ladder. Gripping the rusted, cold rails in her hands tightly, Felix moved quickly down the three flights of cast iron steps. As she neared the bottom, she grabbed onto the rail and quickly hoisting her body up and over. Her feet landed with a soft thump against the dirty asphalt of the ally. Her nose scrunched up in disgust as the rancid odor of garbage, urine, and other, unnamed and equally disgusting things invaded her nose.

The computer shop that Frankie owned looked run down and dirty. The sign above the door was faded, the paint was chipped; you could barely read it. The window was covered in smears and dirt making it almost impossible to see inside. Maybe that was a good thing. If they saw what was inside the shop no one would think to step inside.

The small bell above the door tinkled softly as she opened and quickly closed it behind her.

Frankie looked up from his newspaper and gave Felix a wide smile. She cringed. His teeth were either black or missing, and she wasn't quite sure which was worse. "Took yer time!" Frankie said as he scratched the top of his balding head.

Felix said remained quiet, making her way across the shop floor, trying her hardest to ignore the unpleasant smell of his body. Before she even reached the counter Frankie was already standing from his seat, pulling his coat over his shoulders.

"See if yer can fix that computer 'round the back, eh, love?" Felix glared disapprovingly at the "affectionate" nickname he had used. "Don't scare any of me customers off," he said, giving her a playful wink.

"I won't." Felix had no idea why the man had asked her to watch the shop for him, it wasn't like people were clambering to get inside. Hell, she would be surprised if she saw a single customer!

She shook her head for the umpteenth time that day and slowly made her way to the back of the shop where Frankie kept most of the computers that needed to be fixed or thrown out.

Felix gave a soft hum and she sat in front of the prehistoric looking computer. She wasn't entirely sure what to do with it, her experience with computers was...limited. She stared at the thick, dusty screen with disdain. It was probably older than she was!

"Now... what to do with you?" She whispered curiously to the computer. She leaned to the side and gazed down at the tower with a raised brow. It looked to be white once but now... it was an odd yellow tinge and thick with dust. She half wondered if it even still worked.

Tons of chunky black cords were connected to the back of the tower. Everything seemed to be where it should be, so why wouldn't it work? Felix frowned, giving the computer a strange look as if it would spring to life.

She stood up from the chair and leaned over the back of the wide, dusty screen, for a better look. Given the...age of the machine, she wouldn't be surprised if it had given up the ghost already.

_Oh well_. She shrugged carelessly.

Now what was she supposed to do with it? Frankie had asked her to fix it...but it didn't even turn on, so what was the point? She contemplated taking the side off of the tower so she could prod and poke about inside. Maybe that would do the trick? It was worth a try. It's not like she could break it.

Her hands brushed against the cool metal, she slid her palms over the side, trying to find an easy way to pull the side off without having to resort to brute force.

"Oh, come on!" Felix was slowly beginning to lose her patience, she leaned over the tower, groping the sides. She paused in her search, glancing up at the dim strip light of the back room as it flickered threateningly.

A prickling feeling suddenly began to spread across her body, causing her to bolt up right when an almost electrical shock sensation coursed through her body. She let out a sharp gasp when a horrific pain slammed into her skull, forcing her eyes tightly shut. She desperately tried to pull her hands away, but she couldn't. It felt like they were welded to the computer tower. She struggled and pulled but it only made the pain worsen.

A soft whimper rolled from her lips, hundreds of images and words flashed through her mind painfully. It felt as if her skull was being squeezed to the point of breaking. She tried to pull away from the sensation but it kept dragging her back forcefully.

"Let go, let go, let go, let go!" she whispered urgently, over and over. It felt like her mind was being torn away from her body.

Sweat began to trickle down the side of her face and her body trembled violently. Felix could feel her heart thrashing wildly in her chest, trying desperately to keep up with the strain. She struggled frantically to breathe under the intense pressure that was surrounding her.

What was happening? Why couldn't she let go? Why did it hurt so much? Her mind was frantic and it even hurt to think as information poured itself into her mind. She couldn't do anything to stop it, no matter how unbearable.

_"Just let go...._" A whisper of a voice spoke reassuringly, echoing all around her.

Felix screamed as her mind was pulled further away from her, plunging into darkness.

* * *

"Sir!" A man shouted urgently, he rushed across the room in front of several large screens. "We've got a problem."

General Morshower gave the young officer an expectant look. His shoulders tensed at the man's frantic expression, "What is it, soldier?"

"S-someone's hacking into our system, sir!" He stuttered nervously under the General's hard gaze. Sweat trickled down the side of his face as he handed the report paper to the General.

Morshower quickly snatched the piece of paper from the trembling man's hand. His brow furrowed when he read over the report. "Tell me, solider. How does something like this happen a second time after we spent millions of tax dollars doubling our security?"

"I-I...I don't know sir," he gulped nervously, the General continued to stare down at him. "T-there's something else...."

He stiffened, his jaw clenched tightly. "Something else?"

"T-the hacker has breached into our restricted files, s-sir...a-and..."

"And?" he asked impatiently, clenching his fists tightly at his sides.

"I-It's the N.E.S.T. files, sir! T-there also seems to be some sort of strange signal transmitting through the internal server."

"Be more specific, solider! What kind of strange signal?" His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I d-don't know, but it's s-similar to the hacking incident back at Q-Qatar, sir," he took in a shaky breath, trying to sooth his trembling nerves.

Morshower suddenly spun on his heel, looking expectantly at the many men and women inside the room. "I want to know the location and I want to know now!" His commanding voice bellowed through the room, instantly grabbing the attention of its occupants. "Get Captain Lennox on the line!"

* * *

I hope you enjoyed it, I really do. I would really, REALLY like some feedback on this. The next chapter will be action packed and the Autobots WILL be there! I promise you that. Please review!! And make it nice XD

Let me know what you thought. If you have any questions regarding my fic, then please do not hesitate to PM me!


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry this took such a long time to get out. I had a lot going on and my Beta has a very busy schedule! But she did a freakin' fantastic job!! I've had a lot going on these passed few months. My brother and his partner just had a baby. My dog sadly passed away, which sucked since he was almost 2 years old. My computer died on me, three times!!! So I had to get that fixed and I lost EVERYTHING. (I now have a USB flashdrive.) And I got a new dog. Busy busy.

_Also, thank you to those who have reviewed and put me on alert. I appreciate it!! _

HUGE shout out to **autumn sparrow** and **Faecat**. Without them you would not be able to read this! **Faecat **was amazing, she helped me brainstorm on this fic and **autumn sparrow** is my awesome BETA reader. :) Shout out to **Consciously Comatose**, and **I am not Rahna. Honest.** - Though I've not heard from you guy's in a while. =(**  
**

**Summary: **A normal life had always been her hearts greatest desire, yet it always seemed just out of her reach as sanity seemed a constantly weakening thread. How will she survive when chaos comes knocking? _Set between TF1 and ROTF_**.**

* * *

**_Sanity Aside._**

**Chapter 2.**

Frankie strolled contently down the street, shopping bags clutched tightly in his fists, and filled with cheap snack foods that contained enough sugar to put a man in a coma. Around noon, he arrived back at his computer shop. Stopping in front of the familiar grimy window, he paused, squinting as he tried to peer through the dirty glass.  
His brows knitted together as he glanced in and didn't see Felix. Normally, the girl would plop herself on the stool behind the counter and stay there until forced to move. Grumbling under his breath, he pushed the door open. Only the soft tinkle of the chimes broke the heavy silence.

"Felix?" He called, making his way towards the counter. He dropped his shopping bags on the chipped surface; he looked around. "You here?"

Frankie sighed. _Where could that girl have gone? Asking her to watch the shop should have been simple enough for her_. He had half a mind to fire her backside.

He wove his way through the hazardous stacks of discarded and unused computer parts, calling out for the missing clerk. "Felix? You back...here...?" His voice trailed off when he caught sight of her. She lay motionless, sprawled on the ground, near the storeroom door. He rushed towards her in a panic, and dropped painfully to his knees.

"Felix? Felix! Are you alright?" He shook her shoulders gently, trying to get some form of a response.

* * *

_Hundreds of images flashed before her eyes at an incredible speed. The fast motion and flashing lights made it almost impossible for her to interpret what she saw. Her mind spun and, her eyes stung from the intense bursts of light. Felix tightly shut her eyes as an overwhelming sensation plunged painfully into her heart, like a hot knife tearing at her insides._

_Her eyes fluttered open, unfamiliar voices whispered in the darkness. Strangers stood over her, their words garbled their faces blurred._

_Slowly, Felix reached out a shaky hand, wanting to touch one of the warped figures, only to have her hand pass through the body. The figures dissolved and swirled, dancing in different directions like wisps of colourful smoke._

"H-hello...?"_ She called out. Her quivering voice echoed through the endless darkness, she received no reply._

_The ground beneath her feet began to tremble violently. Felix lost her balance falling awkwardly to her knees. She slapped her hands over her ears as the sound of a roar filled the silence, ripping through the air. Her eyes darted in a panic, trying desperately to find the source._

_The enviroment drastically changed in a whirlwind of motion, spinning rapidly all around her. When the spinning stopped, Felix cautiously peered at her surroundings. She tilted her head upwards and let out a sharp gasp. Thousands of stars twinkled above her in the night sky. Never in her entire life had she seen such a beautiful sight before. She couldn't help but feel a small swell of happiness within her heart as she gazed at the many bright stars that winked playfully from the heavens._

_The smell of smoke tickled her nose and irritated her throat, pulling her attention away from the wonders above. Felix frowned as she took in the environment before her. She stood on a ground formed by large splinters of rocks and twisted spires and in the far distance, the sky was illuminated by bursts of light, and large clouds of black smoke billowing up into the air._

_Felix stood on shaky legs, her heart pounded fearfully in her chest and her body trembled. She warily moved to one of the jagged rocks and pulled herself up to get a better view, but as she neared the edge, she suddenly found herself pulled backwards._

_Another barrage of images flickered before her. Large shadows loomed over her, their eyes glowed a deadly red before slowly fading into darkness._

* * *

She heard a voice, words echoing unintelligibly, muffled as if coming from a great distance. Her eyelids fluttered at the noise, and slowly - painfully, she tried to search for the speaker, but her body refused to cooperate. Everything appeared blurred and fuzzy. Disorientated, she couldn't even tell which way up. Her head throbbed painfully, an assault that forced her eyes shut and she curled into a ball, trying to protect herself from the agony. She squeezed her head in her hands trying to dull the searing pain in her skull. Like a thousand tiny hot needles seeping into her brain, ripping and burning at the organ. Letting out a shaky sigh she tried to breathe past the torture.

"Are you alright?" The whispered voice reverberated in her head like a gong and she moaned piteously. A warm hand stroked her back, but she barely noticed.

With her eyes squeezed shut, the room slowly tipped back and forth and her stomach churned with the movement. The acrid smoke of burnt plastic tickled her senses. Her eyes stung and her stomach lurched violently. It became too much. She pushed herself up, and on weak arms she rose enough to retch and not have to lie in it.

Pudgy arms wrapped around her middle and pulled her to her feet. Felix stood on shaky legs, drawing in deep gasps of air to ease her rapid heartbeat. She pushed away from Frankie, and struggled to stand on her own. The repulsive small of melted plastic and hot electronics still filled the air. She glanced around. The computer she had been working on before sat on the counter where she had left it, but the monitor was cracked and the tower...melted. A small swirl of smoke rose up from the processor.

She glanced at Frankie and he frowned. Her body trembled and small droplets of sweat slowly trickled down the side of her face.

"I think we should get you to the hospital," he suggested, gently taking hold of her arm, he guided her to the front of the shop.

"N-no!" She said, her voice pitched high with panic. The hospital had to be the last place she wanted to be right now, especially after what she had seen.

"But you look like hell!" Frankie argued.

She didn't doubt his words. Her body shook terribly from exhaustion, and she wanted nothing more than to sleep for the next few days.

Felix pressed her back against the paint chipped wall and slowly slid her body down to the floor, her mind buzzed with hundreds of thoughts at once. _What was that? What happened? What were those things she saw? Who were those people? Where were those places?_ Question after question clawed at her brain demanding to be answered, but she didn't even know where to begin. Her head throbbed angrily, she just wanted the pain to go away.

"...Felix?" The quiet, concerned voice of Frankie snapped her out of the daze. She sluggishly lifted her head and glanced at the plump man behind the desk.

"What?"

"...are you--"

"I'm fine! All right! I'm fantastic! Fresh as a daisy! Never better!" she shouted irritably. Her chest tight, constricted. Taking in deep, shaky breaths, she tried to calm herself.

Felix sat quietly on the floor, staring at the dirty, red carpet beneath her. A tight, worrisome feeling creeping up inside of her, and she chewed on her thumbnail, trying to choke back the anxiety, knowing that something wasn't quite right.

Her instincts told her she should leave the shop, get away from there as soon as she could, but a small, gentle voice in the back of her head whispered differently. Torn between the two, Felix decided to trust her instincts instead of the voice.

_You are not going insane....calm down_

"What happened back there?" Frankie asked as he leaned over the counter top, breaking the silence that surrounded them.

"I..." She paused. _What did happened?_ She had been fixing the computer and then... images flashed through her mind, like a high speed slide show. It felt like her mind had been ripped out of her body and transported elsewhere. _Should I tell Frankie the truth?_ Even though she had seen and experienced it, it still sounded crazy

"I'm not sure," she lied, casting her gaze down towards the carpet. "I just passed out."

"And how long have you been out?" Frankie asked, his eyes narrowing.

Felix tilted her head up and looked towards the small clock that hung above the shop counter. "A few hours I guess." She sucked at her bottom lip nervously.

"Well it's a good thing no one decided to come in and rob the place!" He said with a small hint of a laugh. Concern still colored the man's words and he kept looking at her, scrutinizing her every movement.

"I'm gonna go lay down for a bit, alright?" Felix said as she shakily stood, her hand pressed against the wall for balance.

"Alright. I'll come up and check up on you in a while." With a gentle nod of her head, Felix sluggishly made her way towards the shop door, trying her hardest not to stumble and fall flat on her face.

Pushing through the door she let out a painful hiss as the bright mid afternoon sun glared angrily into her eyes, doubling her already hammering headache. The traitorously long climb up the fire escape appeared far higher than just three stories. She wanted to crawl up the steps, but decided to keep what little dignity she had left and ascended on foot.

Once inside the sanctuary of her dark, cool room Felix fell onto her bed. The soft mattress molded itself around her like a mother's arms. She lay still. A plaintive meow caught her attention and she slowly turned her head. Kirby sat inside of the door curiosity danced within his blue eyes.

"Oh, so you've come back, eh? You're a little traitor." Felix whispered at the small cat, her voice drowsy with the need for sleep.

Kirby tilted his head to the side as if trying to understand her words. Soundlessly he walked towards the bed, then jumped onto the mattress gracefully.

Felix affectionately brushed her fingers through his fur, watching him a small smile on her face. She slipped into a restful sleep, listening to the faint thrum of a helicopter in the distance.

* * *

The sun had already started to set when Captain William Lennox and the N.E.S.T. team finally arrived. They sat, hidden in the shadows of the brownstone buildings. His team had been deployed after a signal and hacking attempt had been intercepted. The U.S military and local police had already evacuated and secured the surrounding area, claiming that a terrorist threat had been made. Lennox kept his men in constant contact with the local military and police forces already at the sight. So far, no Decepticons had shown themselves which made him relieved and both anxious at the same time.

Lennox peered cautiously around the corner of a building, his sharp eyes taking the details of the terrain and the location of his soldiers. The deserted street didn't appear as if anyone lived here at all, a ghost town. Still, he couldn't take any chances, appearances could be deceiving.

His eyes roamed over the derelict, abandoned buildings. Graffiti and scorch marks, covered the outsides, along with broken windows and boarded up doors. Gentrification had yet to find this area of the city, and only the lowest elements of society lived here. Their target surprised him though. His brows knitted together as he surveyed the building. Nothing but a small, run down shop, in a run down neighborhood, it appeared harmless. Will wondered if they had arrived at the wrong location.

Lennox turned his head, glancing over his shoulder towards Master Sergeant Robert Epps. "Has the entire area been evacuated?" His voice no more than a whisper. He and a handful of his men took cover behind a tall, abandoned building, giving them a perfect view of the street. Epps squatted down next to him, sweat gently rolling down the side of his face.

"Area is secure." Epps responded.

Will nodded his head and grasped his radio. "Any signs yet?"

The radio crackled softly, "Nothing yet, but I sense a 'Con nearby." The low rumble of a voice spoke over the receiver.

"Stay alert!" Will turned towards the soldiers standing behind him, their faces etched in expressions of fierce determination. "Alright team, listen up. We're going to move up the street and scout out the surrounding areas." The men checked their weapons and wait for the order to move out. "Epps, any luck on the thermal reader?"

"Nothin' yet."

"Alright, let's move out!" Will called, he pushed himself away from the wall and broke into a roadie run. Sticking close to the buildings, he moved from cover to cover, sweeping the sight of his weapon back and forth. Will heard the faint rumble of an engine echoing through the canyon-like walls of the city.

Soldiers filed in behind him, their rifles gripped tightly to their chests. Their heavy boots made little noise against the pavement as they moved with precision and stealth. An armada of heavy artillery vehicles stayed hidden among the buildings, ready to spring in to action.

* * *

They waited in the shadows of the taller buildings, their vehicle forms allowed them to slip down the narrow alleyways, and concealed them in plain sight. Ironhide waited near by, his engine rumbling with eager anticipation. Everything quiet and peaceful, but Optimus knew that it wouldn't last.

**::Are you sure this is the place, Optimus?::** Ironhide's voice growled in Cybertronian over their internal comm-link.

**::Yes. The humans confirmed the location. There are also faint remnants of the signal that Captain Lennox spoke of. Do you not feel it?::**

Ironhide paused for a moment before answering. **::Yes, I feel it. But this does not seem right. Something strange is going on here.::**

Optimus silently agreed. He had sensed the strange, almost static interference lingering in the air, barely noticeable, but there. The entire situation made him uneasy. The signal he had been shown confused his processor. It was familiar, but neither Autobot or Decepticon in origin. It resembled a … honing beacon.

His sensors picked up the loud screech of tires rapidly approaching. A Chevrolet Silverado tore down the deserted road, kicking up clouds of dust in its wake

"Get ready!" Optimus called out, his sensors picking up the familiar thermal ripple of a Decepticon.

The rapid ping ping of automatic gunfire echoed around him as the N.E.S.T. team opened fire on the rapidly approaching vehicle. The bullets ricocheted wildly, embedding in the nearby walls and ground.

Lennox retreated while firing his weapon. Both he and Epps ducked behind Optimus, using the massive semi as shelter. "I thought you said the area was secure!?" Will shouted over the deafening gun fire.

"It is!"

"Then what's that!?" Will gestured frantically with his hand towards the approaching truck.

"Oh."

"Yeah. Oh." Will replied sarcastically.

The blue and silver Chevy screeched to a halt swerving violently to the side. The cab flipped up into the air, followed by the noises of metal shifting and gears clicking into place. The Decepticon came to a rolling stop before he opened fire on several of the soldiers.

"I'm on it!" Ratchet announced. He jumped out of hiding, rolling across the street. The sound of clicks and whirs echoed quietly off of the surrounding buildings as he quickly swapped his vehicle form for his bipedal one.

The Decepticon stopped his assault on the humans, and turned his sights on the Autobot medic. Dropkick roared as he lunged towards the green mech, knocking him off his feet. Metal scraped against the concrete, grating on audios and ears alike. Ratchet slid across the road directly towards the human soldiers, and the Autobot commander.

Will cringed at the sharp sound of metal scraping against the asphalt, his eyes widened when he saw Ratchet sliding across the road directly towards him and his men.

"Move, move!" Lennox shouted at his men, waving his arm trying to get them to scatter as Ratchet slammed into the building they had been using for cover.

"Engaging!" The low growl of Ironhide responded. His tires screeched against the asphalt, he sped out of the narrow ally and switched to his bipedal form. The ground trembled as he ran towards the Decepticon with lightning speed

Ironhide fired his large cannons, and a subsonic boom rippled through the air. The blast tore through Dropkick's metal armor, knocking him away from Ratchet. He approached the Decepticon, and Dropkick pulled himself out of the crumbling building, preparing to engage the Autobots again.

Ironhide growled fiercely, and grabbed Dropkick, his powerful hand wrapped around the Decepticons neck. Gears in the old warrior's arms whined as he lifted the other mech and threw him across the street.  
Dropkick crashed into the side of a building, shattering glass, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris. The building shuttered and groaning loudly. One wall listed to the side as foundations and supports gave way. Bricks rain down as the facade slowly collapsed. The Decepticon glanced around him his optics wide. Dropkick scrambled to get out of the building, but Ironhide smiled coldly as he sited his weapon. A large piece of debris crumbled, and the structure leaned further to the side.

"Shit!" Epps swore then shouted into the radio. "We've got a civilian in the line of fire! Repeat, civilian in the line of fire!"

Optimus rapidly, scanned the surrounding area until he found the human. A young girl had climbed out of a small window and onto a fire escape. She wouldn't last long in the incursion zone.

"Ironhide! Be careful, the human!" Ratchet shouted.

Ironhide snarled and dropped his weapon arm. He lunged forward and slammed his fist into Dropkick. The impact knocked the Decepticon further into the tittering building.

His engine roared to life as Optimus sped down the street, skillfully maneuvering around the fallen debris that lay scattered across the road. **::Ratchet, stay with N.E.S.T. team, I sense another Decepticon nearby.::**

**::Yes, Optimus.::** Ratchet replied. He kept within close proximity to the humans, his sensors scanning the area for any further danger.

Optimus turned sharply when he neared the alleyway the young human had been spotted in. He shifted from his vehicle form, and stood high above the buildings, his huge body shadowing over the small structures.

His optics scanned the narrow passageway and quickly concluded that his massive body would not fit in such a narrow space. Optimus slowly lowered himself down onto one knee and precariously leaned forward, trying to get a better look inside the dark space. His blue optics found the young girl squatting down behind a aluminum trashcan, a small, white cat clutched tightly to her chest, her eyes tightly shut.

"Are you alright?" His voice rumbled deep in his chest

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of his voice, and she gasped in horror. He watched the human closely as she slowly rose to her feet and cautiously moved away from him. Her body trembled and her eyes wide with panic.

Optimus didn't quite know what to make of the girl. Clearly she was frightened. His sharp sensors could hear her heart pound rapidly in her chest. But there was something odd about her. A strange static lingered in the air around the girl, it confused his processors, he watched her curiously, as if staring at her for a prolonged period of time would allow him to solve the puzzle in his mind.

He had to get the young girl to safety but he doubted that she would appreciate him picking her up. Frightened humans didn't always behave rationally and sometimes injured themselves.

He watched her eyes travel over his armor, taking in the each dent and scrape that marred his frame. Her eyes suddenly widened with horror and she sucked in a quick breath. "Behind you!" She shouted frantically.

Optimus grunted when an unknown force suddenly slammed into his back, knocking him off balance. He heard a shrill scream when his body toppled forward, his huge form ripped into the buildings on either side of him. Bricks and fixtures flew up in every direction, then fell, falling all around, thudding and scraping against his armor. His wide shoulders became wedged between the two buildings either side of him, preventing him from moving.

His huge body hunched over the small human. He gazed down at her, worried that she might be injured. She squatted on the damp ground, her hands held protectively over her head. The small white cat she had been holding scampered away from the scene, fleeing down the narrow ally.

Optimus thanked Primus that he had been able to twist his body, allowing enough room between himself and the ground so that the Earthling wouldn't be crushed by him or the debris he had knocked loose. He struggled against the unknown weight on his back, but found it difficult to move with his body trapped between the two structures. Proximity warnings flashed across Prime's HUD, he twisted his body awkwardly to find Dead End behind him with his weapon raised and aimed. The Decepticon fired. Sparks flared as bullets bounced and ripped through his armor, and he grunted as the shrapnel scraped across his face, embedding into his frame.

With a strong push of his arms, Optimus freed himself from the narrow passageway and threw the Decepticon from his back.

"Ratchet," his voice bellowed, catching the CMO's attention. "Take the human to safety!" Two glowing energon blades slipped passed his hands with the sharp screech of metal. Optimus charged towards Dead End, his swords raised, letting out a battle cry

Optimus plunged his sword into Dead End's arm, ripping and tearing through metal and wires. Grunting in pain the Decepticon tried to pry Optimus away from him, but the Autobot leader's strength was far greater than his own.

Optimus swung his free arm, thrusting his other sword into the silver and black mech's shoulder, cleaving the mech's armor from his frame. Optimus drove his weapon deeper into the Decepticon, severing wires and cables. With a last, strong push of his sword, Dead End's arm came free and fell to the ground with a loud thud.

The Decepticon roared in agony, and energon sprayed from the wound, splashing all over the ground, leaving pools of the glowing liquid to seep into the cracks and holes of the road.

"Why are you here?" Optimus growled angrily, twisting his sword deeper into the Decepticon.

Dead End gave a painful squeal, regarded the Autobot leader with unrelenting hate. A dark chuckle rumbled from Dead End. "Don't tell me you didn't feel it coming from the fleshling? It knows something! I can sense it..."

Gunfire rang loudly, echoing along the canyon like street, and between the tall buildings. Optimus whipped his head around, searching for his soldiers.

* * *

Ironhide stumbled away from Dropkick, as the other mech showered him with a hail of bullets. He rolled to the side to avoid the gunfire, taking cover behind a battered building. The Decepticon fled bolting across the street, and slamming blindly into Optimus, knocking him away from his comrade.

Optimus hit the ground hard, splintering the concrete and scrambling his processors. All around him the battle raged, missiles from a military H1 whistled over him and deep whump-whump of helicopter rotors pulled the air around him, creating swirling dust clouds. He lifted his head, looking for his mechs. Ironhide had dropped to one knee, his cannons disgorging round after round of plasma. Ratchet had taken refuge behind a semi-demolished building, and the humans scrambled for any cover they could find.

Explosions erupted all around him, blowing apart buildings. Thick, black smoke billowed up into the air.

Optimus threw himself out of the way as a missile exploded in Dropkick's chest, spraying metal and energon across the road. His frame scraped against the road, sliding into a building. The heavy impact shook the store violently and the structure cracked and crumbled, throwing a shroud of dust up into the air.

As quickly as it had began, the assault ended. The rattle of gunfire stopped and the deafening echo of explosions ceased. All around him destruction reigned, several buildings had been torn down, bricks tossed across the streets, windows smashed and the road ripped to shreds.

"That dirty 'Con!" Ironhide growled as he emerged from his cover point, "Dead End is gone!"

"Optimus! I cannot find the Earthling." Ratchet informed him as he moved cautiously over the splintered road.

His optics narrowed, and he scanned the area. He found no sign of the young earthling or Dead End. Only the chaos of battle remained.

The sound of gears shifting and clicking pulled Optimus's attention toward Dropkick the injured Decepticon jumped into his vehicle mode and sped down the road.

"Autobots, pursue!" Optimus bellowed loudly as he broke into a run, his limbs retracted as his gears clicked loudly and he slammed down onto the asphalt in his vehicle form, Ironhide and Ratchet quickly switched to their vehicle forms and sped closely behind the Autobot leader.

"We're right behind you!" Captain Lennox informed over the radio as he and his team clamored into the Hummers. "I want you three to search the building. Find the device that hacked into the HQ mainframe." Will gestured toward three of his soldiers. "The rest of you come with me."

"Yes sir!"

* * *

I hope you readers will take time to review my story, let me know what you thought of the fighting scene!! Its my first time writing one.

Thank's again to those who previously reviewed chapter one. Love you guy's!! Chapter 3 will be out in good time. :)


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